Simple Wonders: Exhibition of the Paintings from the Collection of Andrew Johns Part Two: Anne Marie Graham
Anne Marie Graham is an Australian artist who was born in Austria in 1925 and arrived in Australia in September 1938. Anne Marie’s mother encouraged her to skip school to attend art classes, as she didn’t yet speak English. She booked her into the RMIT Art School at the early age of fourteen. The headmaster, Mr Harold Brown, saw her work and accepted her as the youngest student ever enrolled to the school. From there, Anne Marie also worked part-time at a printers, later finishing her Diploma at night school.2
Anne Marie Graham is represented in the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Victorian Arts Centre, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Art Gallery of South Australia, the McClelland Gallery+Sculpture Park and Geelong Art Gallery and numerous private collections.3
You can read more biographical information on Anne Graham by clicking here. And the video below offers a tutorial with Anne Marie Graham in acrylic painting techniques
There are two Anne Graham paintings in the Simple Wonders exhibition.
At Cairns Botanic Gardens painted in 2011 is an oil on canvas work (134cm x 104.5cm) and so a very large work which captures magnificently the tropical plants on show in these gardens in the far north of Queensland. This painting will surely attract much attention from those who attend the Simple Wonders exhibition.
Let us zoom in and take a closer look.
At Cairns Botanic Gardens by Anne Marie Graham, painted in 2011, captures the serene and lush atmosphere of the Cairns Botanic Gardens in Queensland, Australia. The artwork vividly depicts the vibrant flora and the tranquil ambiance of this tropical sanctuary. Graham’s use of color and light plays a central role in the painting, emphasizing the diverse palette of greens and the interplay of sunlight filtering through the dense canopy. Her brushstrokes convey a sense of movement and life, reflecting the dynamic ecosystem of the gardens. This painting invites viewers to immerse themselves in the natural beauty and peacefulness of the botanical gardens, offering a visual escape into one of Australia’s renowned green spaces.4
Graham’s artistic approach in At Cairns Botanic Gardens showcases her ability to blend realism with impressionistic elements, capturing not only the physical details of the gardens but also their essence and mood. The composition highlights her keen observation of nature and her skill in translating the complex textures and forms of tropical plants onto canvas. Through her artwork, Graham pays homage to the Cairns Botanic Gardens, celebrating their role as a haven for biodiversity and a place of reflection and rejuvenation for visitors. This painting stands as a testament to her deep appreciation for the natural world and her commitment to portraying its beauty through her art.4
Andrew tells us a little about what attracted him to Anne Graham's paintings:
Way back in the early days when I first discovered the joys of art I started purchasing books on art and one of those books was "An Essential Vision: The Art of Anne Graham", published in 1988. I can't remember what drew me to this book but I was mesmerised by her paintings, her colours, her subject matter and the amazing story of how her parents and she escaped from Austria just as the Second World War was about engulf Europe.
It was not until 1991 that I discovered that one of her paintings ("Como Fountain" as shown below) was coming up for auction in Sydney - this being the first live auction that I'd attended and subsequently leaving with this beautiful painting in my hand.
Andrew continues:
It was not until this year (2024) as I was doing my regular search of the art auction sites that I came across the second large painting - "At Cairns Botanic Gardens" (shown as the beginning of the post). The wonderful colours and the simplicity of how these colours all come together with the sole figure emphasising the magnitude and joy of the tropical vegetation.
It's pretty clear that colour has always been an important factor in my collecting... as you will see as Anne and I present to you the paintings which have been chosen from my collection for the Simple Wonders exhibition.
If you have time please watch the wonderful video below produced by Graeme Stevenson as part of his Fine Art TV Series - Colour In Your Life Season 10 Episode 08. Filmed on Location at Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The video offers acrylic painting techniques and tutorial with Ann Marie Graham.
Further information on Anne Marie Graham is given with the video:
Anne Marie attended the George Bell School in Friday afternoon classes, held at his residence in Toorak. She found him to be an inspiring, objective teacher, more so than any other instructor she has had, including Emilio Greco in Italy, or Oskar Kokoshka in Salzburg in later years.
It was in her classes with George that Anne Marie met June Stephenson, a fellow artist and travelling companion for many of her painting trips. Though June passed away some time ago, Anne Marie still misses her, and has not found a replacement for her in her life.
In her time as an artist, Anne Marie and many other young women were limited by the Victorian attitude that was still the norm for their time. Young male artists were regularly chosen and promoted over female artists, with many men and gallery directors believing that a young mother could not paint as well or as often as a young man. Anne Marie remembers one of her female artist friends, quoting her husband as saying ‘go to the kitchen where you belong! Women can never paint as well as men’. Fortunately for Anne Marie, her husband Bill was supportive of her painting endeavors.
Anne Marie’s first solo exhibition was in 1957 at the Tasmanian Tourist Gallery in Collins Street. It was the first of more than seventy solo exhibitions across Australia and overseas in commercial and regional galleries. In Melbourne, Anne Marie’s permanent gallery for many years was Gallery 101, run by Dianna Gold.
Taking the time to travel and further her art, Anne Marie spent time in Jerusalem, Italy, London and Greece. Her work is now held in the Collections of most State and Regional galleries, including the National Gallery of Australia and the National Gallery of Victoria, as well as significant corporate and private collections around the world. A key painting is also with the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington DC.
You can see more paintings by Anne Marie Graham by Clicking Here.
We will take a break tomorrow and then return to show you more of the paintings being shown in the Simple Wonders exhibition.
‘All artwork images © the artists. All Simple Wonders exhibition images used with permission of Singleton Arts + Cultural Centre.’
Special thanks are extended to:
Andrew Gaynor who gave permission for images of the paintings created by Anne Marie Graham to be shown on the AnArt4Life blog.
Credits
1. Advertising material for the Simple Wonders Exhibition as provided by the Singleton Arts and Cultural Centre.
2. Fine Art TV Series - Colour In Your Life with Graeme Stevenson, Season 10 Episode 08. Filmed on Location at Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The Colour In Your Life TV series is an art show that takes you into the everyday studios of artists from around the world. While in the studio they share their individual techniques with the viewer in a relaxed atmosphere with a delightfully Australian host and fellow artist Graeme Stevenson. The series is currently filmed in Australia, New Zealand and the United States.
Colour In Your Life is an Australian produced TV art show and website http://www.colourinyourlife.com.au
3.https://singletonartsandculturalcentre.com.au/about/
4. ChatGPT under instruction from Anne Newman